Saturday, November 23, 2013

It's almost done though. I have added to my craft stash though. Despite my saying earlier that I wouldn't buy any more cross-stitch this year, Golden Kite's sale was too hard to resist. I procured the following patterns which I probably won't stitch for quite sometime...
Midsummer Eve

The Oriental

Dragon's Garden

The Arts - Poetry

The Arts - Painting

The Arts - Music

The Arts - Dance

The end of the Ball

The End of the Song

I am Half-Sick of Shadows

The Kittens Recital

The Crystal Ball

On Top of the World

I have 17 more on my wishlist and that's after I eliminated several that I felt I didn't like as much as when I first chose my patterns.

Then today I stopped by Joann's because they had a one day sale on Butterick and vogue patterns.

I went in for the patterns, they didn't have the newly released winter collection from Butterick in, and yarn to finish the cardigan I've been working on. Maybe an ornament (ended up with three, a stuffed horse, a cute stuffed mouse, and a bouncy penguin). I don't know what compelled me to look but I noticed this lovely silky, stretchy fabric in the clearance pile. Got 4 yards. Even the wrong side is pretty (great for a dress where that shows).

That lead me to the remnants pile, mainly because I wanted a fabric to make a covering for my wire brush.

The black in a mesh, below is a satin with glitter, panne velvet, and a purple fabric that I don't know the name of. It's somewhat satiny but not as silky. To the right is a brown (faux) suede (my brush cover), and two cotton prints. I was bad this week. But I'm excusing it as an early graduation/Christmas/birthday present to myself.

Now onto NaNoWriMo...

I think the graphic says it all. I'll try and catch up with word count over thanksgiving break. But first I must brainstorm what to write about.

If you made it down this far, congratulations. You get to read about my dancing. I can't quite remember if I mentioned I finally got an amateur partner, but I did! We've been practicing a few months and plan to compete in latin at the Manhattan Amateur Classic in January. We'll add smooth and/or standard in later once we're both more comfortable with the other. We had a lesson today and got a new samba routine which we need to practice. Wish us luck.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Leah. She did some parts passionately but it wasn't enough. She didn't throw her body into it enough she seemed to stay in place. She messed up a few times. Maybe a little high.

Corbin. The song is more Paso than Tango. It seemed too fast. But I liked it for what it was. Can I have Karina's dress? He looked like he leaned forward in his frame at times. I'll agree with the scores.

Jack. A bit odd but I can't critique jazz too well. It just didn't feel polished. I think it was better then Leah's. So I'll agree with the scores

Bill. Feet were all over the place. Hips were non existent. Too high.

Amber. Interesting but I didn't care for it that much. She was moving better than last week. Too high.

Acoustic round.

Leah. Underwhelming. Some parts looked like step, step, step. For an actress she didn't act through her body just her arms and face. Never really has. Too high.

Corbin. I feel he could have done more in that routine. I'll give them the scores.

Jack. Not bad. He stayed in character the whole time. I'll give him the scores.

Bill. I liked that routine. Although I'm trying to figure out how she got into that outfit as I don't see a zipper. He was better this week then last week. I'll agree with the scores.

Amber. The fog made it impossible to see her feet. It felt a little skippy at the beginning. It was a simple Viennese Waltz. Don't know if I'd give it a perfect score.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

I am falling behind in many things. My crafts, my writing, my TV shows.
First thing I'm falling behind on: my crafts. I started on the sleeve for the cardigan I've been plugging away at. I've tried to modify the pattern a bit as I want the sleeves longer. So I started with a smaller starting chain and will keep track of how wide I make it before checking on the length which will be almost double the original.

My craft creation is linked to my TV viewing as I craft while watching.
I've also fallen behind on updating what I've added to my stash. I got the following in October. Red micro velvet for the Evil Queen jacket I'm going to make, eventually, once I get the other materials.It's a little deeper red than the picture.

And a shiny gold/black mettalic that was in the clearance fabrics. I will be making a draped dress with this, once I find the right pattern.

And patterns, all from simplicity:

I also had picked up two felt stocking kits. One which I'm planning on making for myself. There's also some new ruffle yarns I'm playing with.

Onto NaNoWriMo.
As you can see by the yellow, I haven't been keeping up with my daily word count. If I manage to get to the minimum today, I'm still about 2000 words behind. Still haven't figured out the other test, but I skipped ahead and suddenly found myself writing my bodyguard into a quest given by a dragon to overcome the reason why he's mute. No clue what that is so I was trying to fill in details I skipped over while writing. Also plan on skipping ahead to when he returns from the quest. I will not give up! But I'm running out of material.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

It's a slow process lately because of all I have going on. Due to NaNoWriMo I didn't craft as much as I usually do. As I was being non-productive and distracted by the internet, by Wednesday I gave up on sitting and trying to write at the beginning of the day. So I crocheted and caught up on my TV viewing. And I got the other side of the sweater done. Now onto the sleeves this week which I'm making longer than the pattern says. I don't want a short sleeved cardigan.

Today I went winter shoe shopping. Specifically for boots as I currently own short uggs and 4" stiletto, knee high boots. So I went for something in the middle.

Mid-calf, chunky heel. Purposely slouched. And I miraculously have room at my toes.
Also managed to pick up the following in the clearance section:

Cute right? The last pair are my new slippers for the winter. And here's Onyx lying in the box top for some strange reason.

Now, onto my NaNoWriMo update. I seem to only get my daily word count done lately if I'm faced with the midnight deadline. Rarely am I inspired by a scene enough to bang out several hundred words like I've previously done. I'm usually at least a day ahead with my word count, prior to today, I was only about 400 ahead. I'm having trouble getting inspiration. Right now I'm stuck as to what the next challenges will be for the princess' suitors. I've done a long horse race through the desert and a writing test. The last one, which I may skip ahead to, is the fighting tournament. Suggestions welcome.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

I know this is late but my DVR decided not to record the show last night so I missed all of the individual dances. Forgive me.

Corbin. He did considerably less this week, but Argentine Tango is all about the man being the frame and the lady having all the fancy steps. He was there for her and he executed the lifts well. He also had the right character for the dance. I agree with the scores.

Leah. Probably her best dance, but it was also the simplest of dances. There aren't any crazy steps in Viennese waltz and Tony kept her in hold most of the time. Her frame was not nearly where it should have been, too straight. A little high.

Brant. Not bad but that song is not a foxtrot. Too bouncy. But there were times I felt like he was either standing still, even in picture poses the guy does move a little, or it was cheerleader-esque, arms here, now here, now here. I don't think it was worth 9's.

Elizabeth. I can't really critique jazz too much. I don't know the style, but some of the moves were interesting, including whatever it was that Val did at the end. I'll agree with the scores.

Jack. Not a tango, a foxtrot if anything. He held his frame well but his butt could've been tucked under a little more. I'll give him the scores.

Amber. There was no hip action. The dress with lack of fringe in that area made it very clear. And I think it may have been the choreography but there wasn't much holding on 1 as there was move, move, move. The scores were too high for what I saw. 10 Bruno? Really?

Dance off Challenge.

Corbin was a bit Pigeon toed in his new yorkers. Same critiques as before for Elizabeth. I liked Corbin's dance better.

Unfortunately Leah had to go after Peta which was not helpful for her. Especially when it comes to leg extensions. Brant did the better job. What were Carrie Ann and Cher looking at?

Both dances were weird. What is work Emma and the poofs of feathers on her butt?

And Bill remains in the competition. And Leah. Somehow.
And Brant goes home before Jack.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Last week was midterm. Had a test Monday, which I know I got the first two questions wrong. I was looking at the answers before the test, but the names just slipped my mind. I should have the rest done just fine. Thursday I had to have 5 pages of a website done. The only critique was to fix the logo a bit and have another color other than the blues. Then Friday I walk in, the teacher splits us into two teams and gives us each a background to make a physical set for. A lighting director, set designer, lighting board controller, subject, and gaffers. The first team got a 3rd world jail cell while mine had a hallway in an abandoned-ish building. I was the set designer and had to figure out how to get around the fact that the first set of door handles were at our knees. We managed to do really well and he complimented me, twice, Go me.

Anyway, I did finish the hooded baby blanket, only took 2 days out of my regularly scheduled crocheting. The top little triangle is the hood. Baby shower was today so it's with it's new owner. Made with Bernat Baby Blanket yarn, it's really soft and fuzzy. I think chenille is the right word.

Finished the left side and started the right for the cardigan. Onyx is in her favorite spot lately.

The this is a pretty picture of my fur ball.

Onto NaNoWriMo. I picked the mute bodyguard story (aka #4) just because it had the most structure to it. #6 was the overwhelming favorite but I needed to plan it out more and I didn't have the time prior to Nov 1. But even now I realize I didn't have the beginning in mind quite as much as I thought I did and it's been a struggle the past 3 days to reach my daily word count. I've been reaching it shortly before midnight. Even as I write this I have slightly over 400 to go. Too bad this blog doesn't count. I ended up having to introduce a dragon last night and have been pulling names out of thin air. One ended up from me mashing keys and then trying to make something pronounceable out of it.